Maine court blocks Christian mom from taking child to church after dad objects during custody battle

Emily Bickford was handed the order Tuesday while appearing before the state’s highest court to challenge a 2024 custody order that prohibited her from bringing her daughter to her church. The Maine Supreme Judicial Court upheld a Portland District Court judge’s ruling that gave the child’s father the authority to decide whether his daughter could attend the church. The child lives with each parent half-time.

The father, Matthew Bradeen, argued that the church was a “dangerous and harmful environment,” per the Maine Monitor. He claimed that the pastor’s teachings about the Rapture had caused the child to suffer anxiety and panic attacks. Bickford, meanwhile, argued that the judge’s decision violated her constitutional rights.

The Maine Supreme Judicial Court heard arguments in November of last year before affirming the lower court’s ruling Tuesday. In its opinion, the court rejected Bickford’s claims that the order violated her religious rights. The court also referred to her church, Calvary Chapel in Westbook, as a “cult” in its opinion.

“The court found that the child was harmed by Bickford’s decisions to expose the child to messages that characterized Bradeen as an ‘enemy’ who seeks to ‘persecute’ the child and her faith, and by Bickford’s unwillingness to prevent the child from receiving those messages or to take any other steps to reduce the risk of alienating her from Bradeen,” the opinion stated. “The court’s finding reflected simply that it is harmful for a child to hear negative and frightening messages about one parent from the other parent or the other parent’s authority figures.”

Liberty Counsel, which represents Bickford, said in a statement that they plan to appeal the case to the US Supreme Court.

“A Christian mom in Maine has been prohibited from taking her 13-year-old daughter to church or even read the Bible to her for nearly two years — not even for an Easter or Christmas service or a Bible study,” the organization said. “We are fighting for Emily’s right to raise her daughter in accordance with her Christian beliefs and will ask the U.S. Supreme Court to take this case and OVERRULE this decision.”